By now, more than 45 million American households have television sets.
The 1950s The John Birch Society, a radical anti-Communist organization, is created in the U.S.
Fifties Pop History Dr. Zhivago is published in the US. Banned in the USSR, Zhivago won author Boris Pasternak the Nobel Prize which he was forced to decline due to political forces at home.
The 1950s The price of 1st class US postage is raised to 4¢ from 3¢ where it had been for 26 years. Hard to believe - only a penny in 26 years!
Fifties Pop History Charles de Gaulle becomes premier of France, a position he will hold until 1969.
The 1950s Dodger catcher Roy Campanella is paralyzed when the car he was driving skidded into a telephone pole. Campanella wsa the NL's MVP in '51, '53 and '55.
Fifties Pop History The Jolly Green Giant appears on TV with less than stellar results! In his first incarnation he looks like a monster which scares kids. So they lightened him up and added "Ho, ho, ho" and the lilting "Good things from the garden" song.
The 1950s Modern consumer credit is born. The American Express Company introduces a charge card meant to compete with the successful Diners Club card. The Bank of American introduces the BankAmericard, which will become the Visa card.
Fifties Pop History Crest toothpaste inaugurates the "Look, Ma! No cavities!" ad campaign.
The 1950s Eighteen-year-old Frank Carney sees a story in the Saturday Evening Post about the "pizza fad" among teenagers and college students. With $600 borrowed from his mother, he opens the first Pizza Hut in Wichita, Kan.
Fifties Pop History On the Air! You'd find 3,156 AM radio, 537 FM radio and 492 TV Stations.
The 1950s 31.3% of all domestic passenger travel was by railroad; 27.7% by bus; and 38% by air.
Fifties Pop History 30.6% of all advertising dollars are spent on newspapers - 13.3% on TV. Complete allocation of ad dollars.
The 1950s It's Here! The Hula Hoop! For more, see the FADS section.
Fifties Pop History Sweet n' Low is introduced as an artificial Sweetener, using saccharin instead of sugar. Sweet'N Low received U.S. trademark patent no. 1,000,000.
The 1950s Nelson Mandela weds Winnie Madikizela.
Fifties Pop History UP & International News Service merge into United Press International
The 1950s Vice President Richard Nixon is shoved, stoned, booed & spat upon by protesters in Peru as he makes a goodwill tour of South and Latin American. Couldn't have happened to a nicer guy :>)
Fifties Pop History And the winner is...Oscar stuff.
The 1950s NASA is created and Explorer is launched. A big year for the US in the Space Race.
Fifties Pop History RIAA awards the very first Gold record - to Perry Como. Some gold album stats.
The 1950s The first ever Grammy Awards!
Fifties Pop History In Sports...
The 1950s Sterophonic recordings, which use two separately recorded channels of sound to recreate a sense of space, come into commercial use. Now this is progress!
Fifties Pop History Friskees introduces the first dry cat food
The 1950s Japan’s new Datsun (Model 211) cars begin shipping to the U.S. but only 52 will sell. An especially meager number since in 1958 America will import 430,808 passenger cars.
Fifties Pop History Pope Pius XII declares Saint Clare of Assisi patron saint of television. Her placement on the television set is said to guarantee good reception. Maybe I should send one to my cable operator.
The 1950s Right after that, Pope Pius XII died. No "connection", I'm sure. Angelo G Roncalli crowned Pope John XXIII.
Fifties Pop History Harry Winston, Inc. donates the 45.52 carat Hope Diamond to the Smithsonian Institution.
The 1950s This is the peak year for drive-in movies with 4,063 outdoor screens nationwide.
Fifties Pop History In the worst recession since World War II, nearly 5.5 million people are out of work.
The 1950s 400 million frozen pot pies are sold in the U.S. There's a statistic you won't see just anywhere.
Fifties Pop History The first women are admitted to the British House of Lords. Oh, jolly good!
The 1950s Bill and Mark Richards of Dana Point, CA, invented the first skateboard. They attached rollerskate wheels to a square board and sold them at their Val Surf Shop for $8 each.
Fifties Pop History The first domestic jet-airline passenger service is begun by National Airlines between New York City and Miami.
The 1950s Rice-a-Roni, The San Francisco Treat, is introduced.
Fifties Pop History 9,000 scientists of 43 nations petition UN for nuclear test ban.
The 1950s Prime commercial paper (4 to 6 mos) was at 2.46%. In New York City a commercial loan ran 4.12%
Fifties Pop History Pulitzer prize awarded to James Agee for his book Death in the Family Buy the book!
The 1950s Air Force Academy opens in Colorado Springs, CO. The all male facility won't go co-ed unto 1976.
Fifties Pop History Mao Tse tung start "Great leap forward" movement in China
The 1950s Charles Starkweather and Caril Fugate go on their killing spree.
Fifties Pop History The nuclear submarine Nautilus traverses the North Pole under the polar icecap.
The 1950s The National Association of Broadcasters bans subliminal ads.An important story.
Fifties Pop History There is a 55.9% business failure rate.Chart for 1946-1964
The 1950s The Chevrolet Impala is introduced!
Fifties Pop History Cocoa Krispies breakfast food is introduced by the Kellogg Company; it's 45.9% sugar.
The 1950s Cocoa Puffs is introduced by General Mills; it contains 43% sugar.
Fifties Pop History This year in the Civil Rights movement.
The 1950s Dr Ake Senning installs the first pacemaker.
Fifties Pop History American will import 430,808 passenger cars.
The 1950s There are 36,981 motor vehicle related deaths. While in the air, there were 8 accidents resulting in 125 fatalities.
Fifties Pop History Unemployment is 6.8%
The 1950s U.S. GNP (Gross National Product) is $468.3 billion
